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Strategies & Market Trends : ahhaha's ahs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ahhaha who wrote (7612)	3/10/2006 12:37:42 PM
From: ahhaha	Respond to of 24758

Speaking of fools and American prestige world wide which the 'crats claim Bush has tarnished, how about their great port victory? What is gained? Nothing. Dubai ports debacle darkens Gulf investors' mood Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:59am ET169 By Dayan Candappa DUBAI (Reuters) - Gulf Arabs reacted bitterly on Friday to Dubai's decision to relinquish control of six U.S. ports, saying the political storm that forced the emirate's hand could provoke a backlash among regional investors. State-owned Dubai Ports announced on Thursday that it would transfer the ports to a U.S. entity at the behest of Dubai's ruler to allay concerns in the United States that the deal posed a threat to American national security. "Do you think we are happy this morning? The mood is black, very, very black," said a senior official who was involved in the Dubai Ports deal. Since the September 11 attacks, investors from the world's biggest oil-exporting region have feared their assets in the United States might be targeted for security reasons. While the Dubai Ports row reinforced those fears among the Gulf's wealthy private investors, most analysts had said it would barely affect state-controlled petrodollar flows that are increasingly important to the U.S. economy. They, like the region's business community, had believed the Gulf's close diplomatic and military ties with Washington would prevail when push came to shove. But that faith was shattered by the forced capitulation of a government-controlled company in the United Arab Emirates, a frequent port of call for American warships and a country described by President George W. Bush as a staunch ally. "It doesn't matter whether it is a private investor or a public investor. This will affect investment," said Robert Springborg, director of the London Middle East Institute of the School of Oriental and African Studies. U.S. critics of the deal note that two of the September 11 hijackers came from the UAE and that the country once recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Those arguments have done nothing to address concerns in the region that Dubai Ports, which had gained control of U.S. ports by taking over British firm P&O (PO.L: Quote, Profile, Research), was singled out simply because it was an Arab company. PERCEPTION "I have always argued that this was not an anti-Arab issue but rather a matter of domestic (U.S.) politics," said Ali Sadek, a former director of the Arab Monetary Fund. "But the perception, whether on the street or the corridors of power, is going to be that it is." The sheer volume of cash at stake makes that perception a matter of critical economic importance. Record oil prices are driving up the amount of Gulf money available for investment in foreign assets by about $130 billion a year -- about 16 percent of the external funding needed to cover the U.S. current account deficit. The UAE economy minister warned last week that the Dubai Ports row could prompt other countries to divert funds away from the United States. A lot of that money is channeled through bodies linked to Gulf governments, which have been diversifying their holdings across geographies and asset classes since the oil boom began. U.S. securities still account for the bulk of the identifiable investment from OPEC oil cartel states, but their share of investable OPEC funds has fallen compared to the last oil boom in the 1970s, according the Bank for International Settlements. The Dubai ports row has given Gulf investors another reason to keep diversifying their holdings away from the United States, the destination of choice during the 1970s oil boom, analysts said. "There already has been a drift away from U.S. assets by Arab investors. You may well have a further drift," said Angus Blair of Dubai-based Mena Financial. Springborg said the immediate impact would be felt in the mergers and acquisitions business, which drew more than $30 billion of Gulf cash last year. Only about 6 percent of that went to the United States, according to a Credit Suisse report. (Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy and Richard Dean in Dubai and Souhail Karam in Riyadh) I note: U.S. critics of the deal note that two of the September 11 hijackers came from the UAE and that the country once recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. 'crat thinking: guilt by association. "I have always argued that this was not an anti-Arab issue but rather a matter of domestic (U.S.) politics," said Ali Sadek, a former director of the Arab Monetary Fund. The true issue. The true enemy is 'crats in the US. They cause all the evil. ALL. The UAE economy minister warned last week that the Dubai Ports row could prompt other countries to divert funds away from the United States. I'm glad to hear it. Half the American people need to be punished and they know it, so they do those things that will bring about their punishment. Make sure you aren't in the way when that comes down. The Dubai ports row has given Gulf investors another reason to keep diversifying their holdings away from the United States, the destination of choice during the 1970s oil boom, analysts said. How much of that investment will find its way into Al Qaeda's hands? Thank you, Senator Schumer. You should be proud of your treason.